Nov 17
Christmas rose is a beautiful evergreen or semi-evergreen perennial known for producing elegant white flowers during winter or very early spring, often while the surrounding garden is still dormant. Despite its common name, it is not a rose at all. Christmas rose is Helleborus niger, a member of the buttercup family and a close relative …
Nov 16
Winter heath is a low-growing evergreen shrub that provides something especially valuable in the garden: flowers in the middle of winter. While many perennial beds are dormant, Erica carnea can produce masses of tiny bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink, magenta, red, or white, often beginning in winter and continuing into early spring. Also known …
Nov 15
Winter honeysuckle is a large deciduous to semi-evergreen shrub prized for its intensely fragrant white flowers, which can appear during late winter and very early spring. Unlike the twining honeysuckle vines many gardeners know, Lonicera fragrantissima grows as a broad, arching shrub and can reach substantial size over time. The flowers are small and visually …
Nov 14
Pieris is a broadleaf evergreen shrub valued for its graceful clusters of bell-shaped spring flowers, glossy foliage, and brilliantly colored new growth. Japanese pieris, Pieris japonica, is the species most commonly grown in ornamental gardens, where cultivars may produce fresh leaves in vivid shades of red, bronze, copper, or pink before the foliage matures to …
Nov 13
Skimmia is a compact evergreen shrub prized for glossy foliage, fragrant spring flowers, colorful winter buds, and — on female plants — clusters of brilliant red berries that can remain attractive through much of winter. Its naturally neat growth habit and tolerance of shade make it particularly useful beneath trees, along north-facing borders, beside foundations, …
Nov 12
Sweet box is a compact evergreen shrub prized for glossy dark green foliage and remarkably fragrant flowers that appear during winter or very early spring. The flowers themselves are tiny and easy to overlook, but their sweet perfume can travel surprisingly far through the garden at a time when very few other shrubs are blooming. …
Nov 10
Winter daphne is an evergreen shrub prized for one of the strongest and sweetest fragrances in the winter garden. Its clusters of pink, rosy-purple, or white flowers often begin opening in late winter, filling the surrounding air with perfume at a time when relatively few other shrubs are blooming. Botanically known as Daphne odora, winter …
Nov 09
Algerian iris is an unusual evergreen perennial that brings fragrant violet flowers to the garden during winter and very early spring. Botanically known as Iris unguicularis, it is also called winter iris or Algerian winter iris and is native to parts of North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. Unlike the tall bearded irises that dominate …
Nov 08
Viburnums are among the most versatile flowering shrubs for home landscapes. Depending on the species, they can provide fragrant spring flowers, colorful berries, brilliant autumn foliage, evergreen leaves, winter interest, or several of these features on the same plant. Some remain compact enough for a small border, while others mature into large screening shrubs or …
Nov 07
Winter hazel is a graceful deciduous shrub prized for its dangling clusters of pale yellow flowers that appear on bare branches just as winter begins giving way to spring. Botanically, winter hazels belong to the genus Corylopsis, with buttercup winter hazel (Corylopsis pauciflora) and spike winter hazel (Corylopsis spicata) among the best-known garden species. Despite …
